I was at a friends when a small hawk slammed down on a starling eating seed in his driveway. The small Hawk about 14 inches tall stood on the starlings wings pinning him on his back.. The starling thrashed and fought while the hawk was riding it.. HAMMERING his head into the starlings chest. The Starling pecked and clawed at the Hawk but really couldn’t reach him well. After a minute or two the hawk got thru the chest of the bird and ate his internals.. he just kept hammering at him eating him.. 30 minutes later there was just a round circle of feathers on the drive.. maybe a bone here and there. I have often found those feather rings outside.. but I never realized exactly what happened there until now.
Interesting. I've seen those feather formations and wondered the same thing.